Parliament 10 February 2016

JONATHAN YOUNG to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he received on employment in New Zealand?

ANDREW LITTLE to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment in light of student loan debt being set to pass $15 billion this year?

JAMI-LEE ROSS to the Minister of Transport: What announcements has the Government made recently setting out its commitment to the City Rail Link project in Auckland?

GRANT ROBERTSON to the Minister of Finance: Does he have confidence in the Governor of the Reserve Bank; if so, is he confident that the Policy Targets Agreement he signed with the Governor in 2012 is being fulfilled?

MARK MITCHELL to the Minister of Trade: What progress has been made to advance New Zealand’s trade links with the rest of the world?

METIRIA TUREI to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement to Parliament yesterday that he’s in government to make this country a better place for New Zealanders and their families?

CHRIS HIPKINS to the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment: Is he satisfied with his oversight of the tertiary education sector?

ALFRED NGARO to the Minister for Building and Housing: How does the number of homes consented in the last quarter of 2008 compare with the last quarter of 2015?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Hon Steven Joyce; if so, why?

MELISSA LEE to the Minister for Small Business: How will New Zealand small businesses benefit from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement?

RINO TIRIKATENE to the Minister of Customs: Does she agree with the Prime Minister’s statement that “We will confront the P problem, using the full force of the Government’s arsenal”; if so, why does an experienced Customs officer say that only one in 10 illicit drug imports is being seized at the border?

RICHARD PROSSER to the Minister of Conservation: What was her reasoning behind approving the transfer and release of silver carp near Lake Taupo?

National: Five questions on employment, Auckland City Ral Link, TPPA x 2, and building consents

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Member in charge of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill: Why did he draft the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Member in charge of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill: What problem does the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill seek to address?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Member in charge of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill: What problem does the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill seek to address?

Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Member in charge of the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill: What problem does the Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Relationships Registration (Preventing Name Change by Child Sex Offenders) Amendment Bill seek to address?

The MP in charge is Dr Jian Yang. Not sure why Qs 2 to 4 are identical.

Debate on PM’s Statement 3 pm to 5.45 pm and 7.30 pm to 10.00 pm

Of the 13 hour debate there are nine hours 18 minutes remaining, or 56 speeches.

Maiden Speech 5.45 pm to 6.00 pm

New National List MP Maureen Push will give her maiden speech

Government Bills

It is likely the Government will adjourn the PM’s Statement debate at some stage and progress some bills.

The bill is an omnibus bill that significantly amends ten different tax acts,especially in the area of child support.

Introduced: February 2015

1st reading: March 2015, passed unanimously

SC report: September 2015, supported unanimously with amendments

2nd reading: October 2015, passed unanimously

There is no time limit for the committee stage but it is estimated to be a five hour debate as the bill has four parts and preliminary provisions to debate. Three parts have been agreed to, so there are probably one to two hours remaining.

The bill amends the Weathertight Home Resolution Services Act 2006 to remove any doubt about the validity of the criteria, deem certain claims determined as ineligible to be eligible, and to widen the definition of qualifying claimant.

There is no time limit for the committee stage but it is estimated to be a three hour debate as the bill has two parts and preliminary provisions to debate. One part has been agreed to, so there are probably one to two hours remaining.